Atomic Cobalt vs Galileo Luna

[Pedro Burrito]

Can I ask you what you do that makes the wrist mount a very bad idea?

It wasn't a bad idea for me, just in the way. I moved it to D rings on my BCD because I had to take the BCD off and on often while doing the Rescue Diver exercises. I also had to practice water rescue breaths and it would snag on my victim or his equipment. Now that I'm practicing the underwater equipment exchange for Dive Master, I'll leave it on the BCD.

 

[RonR]

Can I ask you what you do that makes the wrist mount a very bad idea?

Just to clarify, NOT a bad idea for others, just for me in some specific situations. I've spent time in pursuit of both critters and objects that had me sticking my arms far back into small holes, and mucking around underwater in contexts that sometimes required protective barriers over the drysuit sleeves, or heavy gauntlet gloves that would make a wrist mount inconvenient at the very least. In some of those environments a wrist mounted anything would have a pretty short lifespan. And I do have a fear of smashing important and expensive gear. So I got used to fastening a console where it was easy to view and well protected from damage (NOT dangling). I'm hard on wristwatches, too, which is why I only have cheap ones.

I have seen a lot of divers mounting a hoseless AI computer on a lanyard on their BC- I figure I might as well keep the hose. Having a console attached to the regulator, attached to the tank, attached to the BC- it's all one piece of gear. That makes one less thing to put on (or forget). Personally I like having as few discreet pieces of gear as possible- this probably comes from starting diving in a rocky, cold, and surf filled environment. It comes down to personal preference, but based on personal experience.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with wrist mounting a computer- it works very well for many divers. I'm just making the point that one diver's ideal solution may not be best for someone else who is in a different environment or does different things. If I were diving recreationally where one could get by with a thinner suit (and the wrist strap was not something to be wrapped around a thick drysuit and fastened awkwardly while wearing heavy gloves) I might well try a wrist mount again.

Actually I'm hoping to get a wrist mount this year.

 

[squid509]

Uwatec has been promising software updates for years to make the Luna/Sol computers tri-mix compatible but it's still vaporware. Not that I'm a tri-mix diver.

the tri-mix is in beta testing now i think

 

[USVet96]

What's your take on the Mares Icon when thrown into this mix?

 

[jbhouse2]

Has someone used the Luna with the heart rate monitor. How is it used or is it an unnecessary accessory? I am also interested in where the Mares Icon compares to the Cobalt and Luna.

 

[Scott L]

Has someone used the Luna with the heart rate monitor. How is it used or is it an unnecessary accessory? I am also interested in where the Mares Icon compares to the Cobalt and Luna.

Only the Galileo Sol has the heart monitor function. IMO it is unnecessary. If a circumstance arises whereas my heart beat is way jacked-up, I will probaly call the dive. Additionally, if one heart beat is high, you can simply shave a few mintues off NDL. Your intuitive guess is probaly just as thoughtfull as what the computer will suggest...

 

[RonR]

Has someone used the Luna with the heart rate monitor. How is it used or is it an unnecessary accessory? I am also interested in where the Mares Icon compares to the Cobalt and Luna.

re. Icon vs. Cobalt, the display technology is a difference. Cobalt uses an AMOLED display which is emissive, inherently lit, and uses very little power. The Icon has a bigger screen (though the same resolution) than the Cobalt, and is color TFT, so it needs backlighting and uses more power. Battery life will be a difference for those reasons. The interface on the Icon is more icon/ picture based (must be where they got the name from), the Cobalt uses text and numbers, mostly. Mares has a very good web demo of the interface, as does Atomic of the Cobalt's- they represent very distinct approaches, you would have to judge which you prefer. BUT, you can wear the Icon or the Luna on your wrist, that would be difficult with the Cobalt...

 

[Hatul]

Actually I'm hoping to get a wrist mount this year.

I'm sure then, it won't be an Atomic. If they do manage to come out with a wrist unit this year, I can bet it won't be AI.

Adam

 

[CPH]

My missus has the Luna with HRM. It's not just the SOL. I have a LUNA without HRM. It works really well but after a few dives you tend not to use it so much.
The computer works out all your gas requirments just aswell with just the AI.
The compuss works VERY well and is not just a gimmick unlike the Suunto ones I had before.

The Mares ICON is a good computer, just don't forget to carry spare batteries with you at all times as they only last a few dives before needing to be changed.

We now use our LUNA's in gauge mode and find themgreat for us.
The low visability is not much of a problem, the blue light works quite well.

 

[Matt S.]

I have the Sol and have used it for a couple of years.

I have no complaints about the legibility of the screen, in the dark or in poor vis. The backlight is not nuclear bright like the Cobalt looks to be, but it's fine.

The HRM is fun and I try to remember to put the darn strap on before I suit up. I use the heart rate data to help assess my workload level of relaxation. It's a gimmick, IMHO, but fun to have.

The first thing I did was set the computer to ignore the heart rate data when it does its calculations. My Sol's numbers then are just like my buddy's Uwatec computer. I am not sold on the advantages of folding heart rate into the calculations. The deco math black box is already pretty opaque, is an additional complication really helping? The manufacturer hasn't published any sort of giant study that I am aware of.

The Sol battery is easy to change, I hear. Haven't had to do it yet.

If I was buying a new computer today, I'd be looking at the Luna/Sol and the Mares, because I learned that I want an absolutely huge screen. There is a very good chance I'd get the Sol again.